


settling in

by hearth_goddess



Series: we're a family. we stick together [5]
Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Genre: Adoption, Emotional Hurt, Grieving, M/M, Mourning a Death, Running Away, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, because it's what they deserve, but the arguments get resolved, eventually, losing a parent, sek and ares will get lots of hugs, there is some arguing and shouting, they talk about their feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:22:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26068660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearth_goddess/pseuds/hearth_goddess
Summary: Old habits die hard, and both Sekhmet and Ares struggle to settle into their new home. Luckily, their new family doesn't seem to want to give up on them.
Relationships: Macavity (Cats)/Original Female Character(s), Mr. Mistoffelees/Rum Tum Tugger (Cats)
Series: we're a family. we stick together [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765810
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sek and Ares are both struggling to come to terms with Athena's death. They have had little to no closure, so their emotions are all over the place. This leads to more than one outburst at the beginning of their stay with the Deuteronomy-Jones family.

Settling into the Deuteronomy-Jones household was… interesting, to say the least.

It was a loud household, and there always seemed to be someone shouting for something else through the halls. 

“We’re renovating our other guest room for the littles to share with Persephone.” Mistoffelees explained when Sekhmet looked at the empty rooms in confusion. “And, if you want, we’re going to be adding a few more rooms if you want a room for yourself.” 

Sekhmet listened to Thetis’ surprised squeal as Iris jumped onto her bed, and she shook her head. “I don’t mind sharing.” 

Mistoffelees smiled, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, immediately withdrawing it when she tensed slightly. 

Thetis, Iris, Hestia, and Jubilee were elated to have a baby sister, and they played happily with Persephone every chance they could, reading to her and dancing around to music with her. They often begged Sekhmet to join them in their playtime, as well as when they’d read stories together. Sekhmet simply shook her head and stepped back, watching the girls laugh together. 

Apollo had taken it upon himself to give Ares the grand tour of the house, as well as the run-down of the entire family (which ultimately resulted in extreme confusion for both boys as they attempted to organize the family). 

Hades watched all his siblings happily during those moments, and he would often give a look towards Sekhmet when the girl refused to join in their games. However, he didn’t say anything. 

He’d simply sit close to her and offer a book, or if they were watching television, he’d wordlessly slide the remote control over to her. 

Sekhmet would always look at him in surprise, and he would give her a small smile before laughing at whatever Iris had chosen to do in that moment. 

It was definitely slow going, and there were definitely speedbumps on the road. 

Tugger and Mistoffelees wanted nothing more than to do everything they could to help Sekhmet, Ares, and Persephone, to give them everything they needed, but they weren’t sure how to give it to them. 

Sekhmet and Ares hadn’t necessarily been able to have a childhood. 

They were forced to grow up quickly, especially after their mother’s death. Sekhmet had taken over the role of mothering her younger sister, and Ares had been responsible for picking up any other chores that were forgotten. 

Of course, it was quite difficult to break out of the habits the two had, as it had been their routine for so long. 

Sekhmet refused to let anyone else help with Persephone. Whenever she was crying, Sekhmet immediately went to comfort her. Whenever she was hungry, Sekhmet was almost always the only one to feed her. 

The other six kids didn’t want to step in, wanting to make the adaptation easy for Sekhmet and Ares, but Tugger and Mistoffelees gently tried to help out Sekhmet and Ares, whether it was with Persephone, or doing the dishes, or folding clothes. 

Unfortunately, they realized too late that it was a mistake. 

It was two months after Sekhmet, Ares, and Persephone’s arrival at the Deuteronomy-Jones household. 

The kids were spread out in the kitchen, eating lunch and talking loudly over each other, the talking occasionally interrupted by a burst of laughter, or an angry shout as someone stole someone else’s food. 

Ares finished his lunch and stood from the table, taking Sekhmet’s plate as well, and he walked to the sink, slowly washing off the dishes and placing them on the counter. Mistoffelees smiled slightly, approaching Ares. “Here, kiddo, let me help you out.” 

“No, I can do it.” Ares said, scowling slightly as he dried off the dishes. 

“Ares, you don’t have to do this alone!” Mistoffelees said gently, but Ares glared at him as he stepped away. 

“I can do this on my own!” 

Sekhmet looked up from where she was feeding Persephone, and she instantly moved to Ares’ side. “Leave him alone!” 

Mistoffelees’ eyes widened. “I just wanted to help him.” 

Sekhmet pushed Ares behind her protectively. “We don’t need your help! We can do it on our own!” 

“Yes, but you don’t have to.” Mistoffelees said, trying to reason with the girl. Sekhmet crossed her arms, and Ares looked down at his feet. 

“Sekhmet, kiddo, what’s wrong?” Tugger asked, stepping away from the startled littles to put a gentle hand on the young girl’s shoulder. 

“I HATE YOU!” Sekhmet screamed, throwing Tugger’s hand off her shoulder. “I hate you both, and I hate this stupid house! Why can’t you just leave us alone?!” 

She ran out of the kitchen, grabbing her jacket and running out of the house, ignoring Tugger and Mistoffelees shouting behind her. 

Sekhmet left the house behind her as she raced down the street, stubbornly trying to hold back tears. 

“Sek, wait up!” 

She turned around to see Ares catching up to her, and she wrapped her arms around her waist. 

“What are you doing?” she asked. 

Ares stopped as soon as he was close enough. “I wasn’t going to let you leave without me.” 

Sekhmet sighed. “Ares, you shouldn’t be out here.” 

“Neither should you.” Ares shot back, reaching out and taking his sister’s hand. “I’m not letting you be alone, Sek.” 

Sekhmet felt the tears begin to fall down her cheeks, and she threw her arms around her younger brother, hugging him tightly. “Thank you.” 

Ares smiled slightly, and hugged her back. “Of course.” The two siblings walked down the street together, away from the neighborhood, and Ares glanced up at his sister curiously. “Where do you want to go? The park?” 

“No.” Sekhmet said, shaking her head. She was quiet for a moment. “What about that bar that Father… Macavity used to go to?” Ares’ eyes widened slightly. 

“I think that’s close.” He said. 

Sekhmet narrowed her eyes slightly before grabbing his hand. “Let’s go, then.” 

As they walked, Sekhmet was very glad she had decided to grab her jacket, as the weather was slowly getting colder. Ares kept close to his older sister 

They reached the bar, and looked up at the sign. 

“The Ivory Lantern’.” Ares read. 

“Hey, what are you kids doi—Sekhmet? Ares?” 

A muscular black woman with short hair approached the siblings, studying them. 

Sekhmet relaxed slightly. “Hi, Primrose.” 

The woman frowned. “What are you two doing here? I heard you two got away from Macavity?” 

“There’s… some stuff going on at home.” Sekhmet explained quietly. 

“What happened?” Primrose asked, eyes narrowing. “Are you kids safe?” 

“Yeah.” Ares said. “We just… needed to get out.” 

“Come on in.” the woman said, opening the door to the bar. “We’re opening in a half-hour, but I’m sure you kids can stay for a bit.” 

Sekhmet and Ares followed Primrose inside, and saw only two other occupants; a red-haired woman behind the bar, organizing bottles and wiping down the counter, and a tall, grey-eyed man wiping down tables. 

The red-haired woman looked up as they entered the bar, and confusion glimmered in her eyes. “Prim, what’s going on?” 

“This is Sekhmet and Ares.” Primrose said, putting a hand on the siblings’ shoulders. “They’re Macavity’s kids. I met them when I’d drag his sorry ass back to his apartment.” She nudged the two siblings forward with an encouraging look. “This is Browrey, the owner of the bar, and that’s Sorrel.” 

Sekhmet stepped closer to Ares as Browrey looked them over. “Hi.” 

“Macavity hasn’t been here in a week, if you’re searching for him.” The woman said, and Sekhmet shook her head, anger in her eyes. 

“We’re not looking for him.” She said firmly. “He’s out of our lives.” 

Browrey hummed lightly. “I won’t press you kids. Do you want something to drink?” 

“Yes please.” Ares piped up, making Primrose shake her head with a laugh as they walked to the bar, Browrey already pulling out two bottles of soda for the siblings. 

* * *

Hours had passed, and Tugger and Mistoffelees were beside themselves with worry. 

They had searched the entire neighborhood, the park at the center of the neighborhood, and they had driven throughout the town, hopping out and asking passers-by if they had seen the two kids, only to be met with apologetic shakes of the head. 

The two men returned back home with heavy hearts, met by Munkustrap, Demeter, Bombalurina, and Hades, who was holding a half-asleep Persephone in his arms. 

“I sent the triplets and the littles off next door to Jenny and Skimble’s.” Hades said, and Tugger gave him a small, proud smile. “Did you find them?” 

Tugger wrapped an arm around Mistoffelees with a heavy sigh. “Not yet, kiddo.” 

“Tugs, I think we need to call someone.” Mistoffelees said, wringing his hands together, his eyes brimming with tears. 

Bombalurina reached out, taking his hand. “We’re going to find them, Misto. There has to be somewhere we forgot to look.” 

“But where?” Tugger asked, running a hand through his hair. “We’ve literally searched everywhere they could have possibly gone!” Hades leaned against his dad comfortingly as Munkustrap thought. 

“Is there anywhere that maybe we wouldn’t think of?” he wondered. He wanted nothing more than to find his niece and nephew. Seeing Tugger and Mistoffelees so terrified and worried pained Munkustrap, and he wouldn’t rest until Sekhmet and Ares were both home and safe. 

“Shit, of course!” Demeter suddenly exclaimed, her eyes going wide with realization as she pulled out her phone. “The Lantern!” 

Mistoffelees frowned slightly. “What?” 

The blonde woman frantically typed into her phone. “There’s a bar called ‘The Ivory Lantern’ about twenty minutes from here.” She looked at Munkustrap with a small, sad smile. “It’s where I met Macavity. He used to go to all the time.” 

“You think the kids might be there?” Tugger asked, and Demeter nodded firmly. “Alright, I’ll go check it out. Mist, stay here with the kids, and I’ll give you a call if I find something.” 

“No, I’m coming with you.” Mistoffelees said firmly, and Tugger opened his mouth to protest, but Mistoffelees grasped his hand tightly. “Bomba can watch the kids. We both need to go after them.” 

“Fine.” Tugger sighed. 

Mistoffelees kissed his cheek as he stood, putting a hand on Hades’ shoulder. “You go back with your siblings and Auntie Bomba. Keep Seph out of trouble. Maybe have the littles read with her.” 

Hades nodded, shifting a now-sleeping Persephone so that her head was resting against his shoulder, her mouth half-open. 

“I just texted you the directions, Tugger.” Demeter said, slipping her phone back into her pocket. 

“Thanks, Dem.” Tugger said with a nod, and he and Mistoffelees grabbed their jackets and the keys before leaving the house, climbing into the van and driving off. 

They followed Demeter’s directions to a more secluded part of town, away from the main street. 

The “Ivory Lantern” was settled in between two other restaurants, but unlike the shops around it, there was no bustle within to open up the bar. 

Tugger parked and jumped out of the van, running to the bar followed by Mistoffelees, and the two looked through the windows, trying to see into the room. 

A grey-eyed man opened the door to the bar and stepped out, his arms crossed as he looked at Tugger and Mistoffelees with narrowed eyes. “Who’re you?” 

“My name is Tugger Deuteronomy-Jones, and this is my husband, Mistoffelees. We’re looking for our niece and nephew.” Tugger replied quickly, noting how the man hesitated. “Please, we’ve been searching for them all day, and we’re absolutely terrified.” Tugger hated how his voice shook, but he was desperate to find Sekhmet and Ares. 

“Do those names mean anything or ring any bells?” Mistoffelees asked, clutching Tugger’s hand. “We have pictures of them if you need to see.” 

“No need.” The man said, holding up a hand. He opened the door, and motioned for the two to enter, which they immediately did, eyes wide as they looked around. 

Tugger spotted Sekhmet and Ares exiting out of the back room, their hands clasped behind their backs, and he fell back against the wall and sinking to the ground in relief as he ran a hand over his face. “Oh thank God.” 

Mistoffelees reached out his hand, and Sekhmet slowly stepped forward, taking his hand hesitantly. “Are you two okay?” 

“We’re fine.” Ares said quietly. 

“Browrey let us sit in here.” Sekhmet added. 

Tugger looked past their shoulders to see a red-haired woman leaning against the bar. “Thank you.” 

Browrey shrugged. “They’re good kids.” 

Sekhmet frowned slightly, looking past Tugger and Mistoffelees at the street. “How’d you know where we were?” Tugger laughed slightly, standing and pulling out his phone. 

“We didn’t have any idea where you two were until Dem suggested this place, since apparently Mac liked coming here.” He replied. “We’ve been searching for you two since you ran off, and if she hadn’t suggested here, it would have taken us even longer.” 

Sekhmet and Ares exchanged a look as Tugger pulled out his phone to text Munkustrap that they had found the kids. While he did that, Mistoffelees motioned for Sekhmet and Ares to follow him to the bar, where he sat down and faced them. The two siblings took seats as well, and Mistoffelees clasped his hands. 

“Do you two know how dangerous it was, running off like you did?” he asked in a quiet, tired voice. Sekhmet crossed her arms, and Ares looked down. “Tugger and I were worried sick, and so were the others. We thought that maybe Mac had taken you two, or that something else had happened.” 

Sekhmet tried to hold back tears as she avoided Mistoffelees’ eyes. “We knew where we were going.” 

Tugger sighed, walking over to the bar and standing behind Mistoffelees. “Sekhmet, Ares, when Misto and I took you two in, we knew that it was our job to protect you both and keep you as safe as possible, and to give you a loving home.” Both Sekhmet and Ares tensed, waiting to be scolded and yelled at, preparing themselves for the worst. “What did we do?” 

“What?” Ares asked, surprised at the question. 

“Obviously we said or did something that made you uncomfortable.” Mistoffelees said in a matter-of-fact voice. "So what did we do, so we know not to do it again?” 

Sekhmet scowled slightly. “You treated us like we weren’t capable of doing simple tasks.” 

Tugger’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?” 

“Ares was washing his dishes, and Misto was acting like he couldn’t do it on his own! Ares knows what he’s doing, and you two are always trying to take over and tell us not to do things!” Sekhmet exclaimed. “We’re not babies, we know how to work and do chores!” 

“You are children.” Mistoffelees said firmly. “It’s okay for children to need help once in a while.” 

“No, it’s not.” Ares denied, wrapping his arms around himself. “We need to be independent so that we can take care of ourselves.” 

Tugger took Sekhmet’s hand, holding it tightly in his own. “We know what you kids went through with him, you had to rely on yourselves all the time, but you don’t have to do that here.” 

Misto nodding, reaching out and gently running a hand through Ares’ hair: “Tugger is right, you can just be kids here and let us handle being the adults. We might ask for your help sometimes with the younger kids but you don’t have to act like parents anymore.” 

Sekhmet and Ares looked at them with wide, surprised eyes, and Tugger and Mistoffelees exchanged a look. Their minds traveled to the week before, when they had been scared out of their wits after Sekhmet had suddenly run off after Tugger offered to help her take care of Persephone and the littles, and her reaction when she had come back home. 

_The doorbell rang, and Mistoffelees and Tugger raced to the door, their hearts pounding._

_Tugger opened the door, and his face flooded with relief. “Hey, Bombs.” Bombalurina gave her friend a small smile, her hand touching Sekhmet’s shoulder gently._

_“Hi.” the redheaded woman replied softly._

_Mistoffelees wrapped an arm around Tugger’s waist, leaning against him. “Sekhmet, why don’t you head on in and change into pajamas, and then you can meet us in the kitchen.”_

_Sekhmet looked at Bombalurina, who gave her a nod, and the young girl walked past Tugger and Mistoffelees, quietly walking up the stairs._

_After she left, Bombalurina looked back at Tugger and Mistoffelees. “I found her in the park, and we chatted for a little while.” Mistoffelees sighed heavily, pressing her face into Tugger’s arm. “Don’t blame yourselves.”_

_“How can we not, Bombs?” Tugger asked, running a hand over his face. “We pushed her too far, and we didn’t realize it until it was too late!”_

_“So talk to her, Tugs!” Bombalurina said firmly, reaching out to take her friends’ hands. “Both of you, talk to her! She’s not used to being treated like a kid. She was responsible for Persephone and Ares the entire time she was with Macavity, so she’s not used to having other people take responsibility.”_

_Mistoffelees squeezed Bombalurina’s hand in thanks. “It means a lot that you went after her, Bombs. We were terrified.”_

_Bombalurina hugged both men tightly. “Call me if you need anything.” Tugger closed the door as she left, and he exchanged a look with his husband._

_Behind them, Sekhmet came down the stairs and stood there, wrapping her arms around herself and staring down at the ground. “You wanted to talk?”_

_“Come on, kiddo.” Tugger said with a small sigh, walking into the kitchen. The three sat down at the counter, and Mistoffelees looked at the young girl._

_“We didn’t want to make you feel incapable, Sek.” he began gently. “I think we need to talk about boundaries for you and Ares, because I’m sure Ares is feeling this way as well.” Sekhmet’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “What do you mean?”_

_Tugger gave her a small smile. “You had to do so much when you were along with Ares and Seph, and Misto and I both realize now that you’re not used to having someone else take over responsibilities.”_

_Mistoffelees nodded, taking Tugger’s hand. “That’s why, in the morning, we’re going to sit down with you and Ares, and we’re going to talk about boundaries, because we want you two to feel as comfortable as possible here.”_

_“Why?” Sekhmet suddenly burst out, standing up and pacing around._

_Tugger’s smile disappeared, and he frowned in confusion. “Why?”_

_“Why are you being… so nice to me?” Sekhmet asked, her voice breaking slightly. “I can’t understand. I can’t understand!” She stepped back, looking down to hide the tears in her eyes. “I just can’t understand… “_

_Mistoffelees slowly stood, and approached the young girl, carefully reaching out, and taking her hands. Sekhmet flinched slightly, but Mistoffelees pulled her close, kneeling down in front of her._

_“We’re being nice to you because you’re family, Sekhmet.” he said quietly, reaching up to cup her cheek gently, using his thumb to wipe away her tears. Tugger knelt down beside Mistoffelees, a small smile on his face._

_“We love you, Sekhmet.” he told her. “You’re our daughter.”_

_Sekhmet’s tears began to fall down her cheeks, and Mistoffelees pulled her into a tight hug, and Tugger wrapped his arms around his husband and daughter, kissing Sekhmet’s forehead gently._

_“I’m sorry I ran away.” Sekhmet cried, shaking as she clung to Mistoffelees._

_“Don’t apologize, honey.” Tugger said. “Please, don’t apologize.”_

_Mistoffelees smoothed Sekhmet’s hair comfortingly. “We all have work to do, Sek. And we’re all going to work together.”_

_Tugger pulled back and looked down at Sekhmet. “Do you want to try, Sek?”_

_Sekhmet looked up at them both and nodded. Both Tugger and Mistoffelees smiled and returned to hugging Sekhmet tightly, enveloping her in their arms as she snuggled against them. It was a start, and that was all that mattered._

“We love you both very much.” Tugger said gently as Mistoffelees ran his fingers through Ares’ hair. “We just want you two to be as happy and as comfortable as possible.” 

“Really?” Sekhmet asked in a quiet, almost inaudible, voice, hesitance in her eyes. “You promise?” 

Mistoffelees nodded firmly. “Yes.” 

There was a beat, and Sekhmet’s eyes filled with tears. She lunged forward, clinging to Mistoffelees, who immediately caught her and hugged her tightly, rubbing her back soothingly as her shoulders shook. Ares slowly stood off of his stool and moved towards Tugger, pausing for a moment before leaning into the blonde man. Tugger instantly wrapped his arms around him, a small smile on his face. 

“You just need to talk to us.” He said softly, brushing a hand over Ares’ hair. “Is that a deal?” 

Ares nodded against Tugger’s shoulder. “Deal.” 

Mistoffelees’ arms tightened around Sekhmet, and he shared a look with Tugger over the heads of the two kids as they hugged them. 

They knew that they had a long road ahead of them to help Sekhmet, Ares, and Persephone, and they were absolutely willing to help in whatever way was possible. 

They were a family, and family stuck together.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hestia hated her birthday, because it was a reminder of what her family had lost. When Sekhmet stumbles upon Hestia sitting in the living room one morning, the two have a talk, and both begin to feel their walls coming down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *******this chapter contains guilt over a parent's death/blaming oneself for a parent's death, so please read with caution if that is a sensitive topic for you

Birthdays were always a massive, happy celebration in the Deuteronomy-Jones household.

Tugger and Mistoffelees were always attacked by their children on the morning of their birthdays, all the kids jumping onto them with happy shouts and smiles, and the morning would be spend cuddling in bed. 

Hades’ birthday always began by his siblings putting together his favorite breakfast and bringing it to him (they always attempted not to wake him, but would ultimately fail because of their giggles). When Jubilee was adopted, she joined in on the tradition, and it was planned to immediately include Sekhmet, Ares, and Persephone for Hades’ next birthday. 

Tugger, Mistoffelees, and Hades had already begun to plan out Sekhmet’s birthday with Ares, the four wanting to make Sekhmet’s birthday the best she had, especially after hearing from Ares that none of them had really ever had a real birthday since Athena had passed away. 

Tugger and Mistoffelees immediately began planning Ares and Persephone’s birthdays as well. 

Thetis, Apollo, and Iris preferred to celebrate their birthday all together, and planned their day every single year, planning their party and their theme, with Thetis always being the voice of reason between her more chaotic siblings. They were already pulling Ares into planning with them, and he was hesitantly excited about the joint birthday. 

The first birthday celebrated after bringing Sekhmet, Ares, and Persephone into the Deuteronomy-Jones household was one that technically not seen as a real birthday. 

* * *

Sekhmet was awoken by the sound of small footsteps walking past her bedroom, and she sat up, frowning slightly. It was early, too early for anyone else to be awake, but the unmistakable sound of footsteps piqued her curiosity. 

She climbed out of bed, throwing on a robe and slippers before leaving her room to go down the stair. She heard sniffling coming from the living room, and she followed the sound to see Hestia sitting on the couch, her knees pulled up to her chest as she held a picture frame tightly in her hands. Tears were falling down the girl’s cheeks, and Sekhmet slowly stepped forward. 

“Hestia?” she asked softly. The red-haired girl whirled around, eyes wide, relaxing slightly when she saw Sekhmet standing behind her. 

“Hi, Sek.” Hestia said. 

Sekhmet walked to the couch, sitting down beside the younger girl. “Why are you crying?” 

Hestia wiped her eyes. “Today’s my tenth birthday.” 

“Wait, what?” Sekhmet asked in shock. “But… but no one’s said anything? Is it a surprise?” 

“No.” Hestia said, shaking her head. “I don’t celebrate my birthday today anymore. Since Daddy and Papa adopted Jojo, we’ve always celebrated our birthdays together, since we’re the same age.” 

Sekhmet cocked her head curiously. “But why don’t you celebrate it today?” 

Hestia’s eyes filled with fresh tears, and she handed the picture frame over to Sekhmet. 

She looked down at it, studying the photo. 

It was clearly taken in a hospital, and Mistoffelees was standing beside a black-haired woman who had tears running down her cheeks, and who had clearly just given birth. In Mistoffelees’ arms was a tiny baby, and he was crouching slightly, the woman leaning forward and kissing the baby’s forehead. 

“That’s my mama.” Hestia said in a soft voice, hugging her knees tightly. “That’s the only picture I have with her. She died a few minutes after.” 

“Oh…” Sekhmet whispered. “I’m so sorry.” 

Hestia sniffed as she began crying once more. “I don’t like my birthday. It just reminds me that my mama’s dead, and that Hads, Tis, Lo, and Rissie don’t have a mama because of me.” 

Sekhmet frowned, putting the picture down on the coffee table and looking at Hestia. “It’s not your fault, though! You were a baby, and you couldn’t do anything.” 

“But I was born!” Hestia exclaimed, her voice shaking. “I’m the reason Mama’s dead! If I wasn’t born, she would still be alive! All I am is a reminder that she’s gone!” 

“No, you’re wrong!” Sekhmet exclaimed, reaching out and grabbing Hestia’s hands tightly. “You’re a sweet girl who has a huge heart. You’re talented, and you love everyone. You’re a wonderful daughter and an amazing little sister.” Hestia’s hands shook in Sekhmet’s grip, so she pulled the younger girl into a tight hug. Hestia’s arms immediately wrapped around Sekhmet’s waist, clinging to her as she cried into her shoulder. “Don’t talk about yourself like that, Hettie. It’s not your fault. Hades, Thetis, Apollo, and Iris absolutely do not blame you for what happened, and neither do Dad and Papa. They love you so much, Hettie.” 

Hestia whimpered quietly as she curled into Sekhmet’s side, leaning against her shoulder. “You called them Dad and Papa. And you called me Hettie.” 

Sekhmet smiled slightly, tightening her grip on the younger girl. “Yeah… I guess I did.” 

“It’s… it’s really not my fault?” Hestia asked after a moment, not moving from her spot. “Even though Mama died after giving birth to me?” 

“Absolutely not, Hettie.” Sekhmet said firmly, rubbing Hestia’s back soothingly. “Your mama loved you more than anything. Look how happy she is in this picture.” Hestia shifted and looked down at the photo, studying her mother’s face with a tiny smile. 

The red-haired girl cuddled back against Sekhmet. “I’m sorry about your mama.” 

Sekhmet stilled, but she sighed. “Thank you, Hettie.” 

“Do you miss her a lot?” Hestia asked, shifting and looking up at Sekhmet. “Because I miss my mama, and I didn’t know her.” 

“I miss her all the time.” Sekhmet replied, nodding and trying to hold back tears. “I loved her very much, and she was a very wonderful mother. She loved me, Ares, and Seph a lot, and always took care of us.” 

Hestia hugged Sekhmet tightly. “I think our mamas would have been friends.” 

Sekhmet laughed slightly and nodded. “I think so too.” 

“Daddy used to tell me that Mama would sing a song to us all the time to get us to sleep… and that whenever he sang it to me, it always helped me to fall asleep, even when nothing else worked.” Hestia said, resting her head against Sekhmet’s shoulder, humming under her breath. 

_“Come on, princess, it’s time for bed.” Tugger said as he swayed back and forth, attempting to calm a sobbing Hestia, who had woken up in the middle of the night._

_She was teething, which was doubly hard for Tugger and Mistoffelees, as it meant that their baby girl was getting older, and that she would be getting less sleep because of it._

_Hestia continued to cry, her little face scrunched up and red, her cheeks wet with tears as she fisted Tugger’s undershirt in her tiny hands._

_Tugger sighed, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead as he fought away a yawn. “Alright, let’s go downstairs and see what we can do.”_

_It had been four months since Serafina had passed away, and there were still things of hers strewn about that neither Tugger nor Mistoffelees had the heart to move._

_One such thing was her blanket, the one she had used all throughout her pregnancies, so Tugger picked it up off the couch and swaddled Hestia up. The little girl paused briefly as she was wrapped in the soft fabric, and a new smell hit her._

_It was warm, comforting, but not like her daddy or her papa._

_This was something else._

_Tugger felt a flash of triumph, but saw Hestia’s face beginning to screw up again, and he frantically thought, glancing around the room. He spotted a small toy carousel, and a lightbulb went off in his head._

_**“There's a house we can build. Every room inside is filled with things from far away.”** he began to sing quietly, and Hestia looked up at him, her blue eyes wet with tears. Tugger smiled down with her, beginning to spin around the room as he sang. **”The special things I compile, each one there to make you smile on a rainy day.”** _

_Hestia’s cries now became whimpers as she listened to Tugger, and he nuzzled his nose into her red curls with a small smile._

_**“They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy.”** he continued, keeping his voice quiet. **“They can say, they can say we've lost our minds.”**_

_**“Dance with me, Sera!”** _

_**“Tugger Deuteronomy-Jones, I am seven months pregnant!”** _

_**“So?”** _

_**“You are insane if you think you’re spinning me around!”** _

_**“I don't care, I don't care if they call us crazy! Runaway to a world that we design!”** _

_**“How do you put up with him, Misto?”** _

_**“It’s a daily struggle, Sera, trust me.”** _

_**“Hey!”** _

_“That’s Mama’s song.”_

_Tugger whirled around at the quiet voice, and his smile grew when he saw Hades standing there, the small boy rubbing his eyes tiredly._

_“You should be in bed, Roo.” Tugger said gently, sitting down on the couch and beckoning Hades closer._

_The boy walked forward and climbed into Tugger’s lap, careful not to disturb a half-asleep Hestia, whose small body still shook with the occasional quiet sob._

_“Mama sang that song a lot.” Hades said again as he snuggled into Tugger’s chest._

_Tugger nodded. “She did, Roo. Etta wouldn’t calm down, so I think your mama’s song helped her quite a bit.”_

_Hades made a small, content sound as Tugger hugged him close. “Can you keep singing, Daddy?”_

_“Anything for my kiddos.” Tugger replied, his voice barely above a whisper. **“Every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head. A million dreams are keeping me awake.”**_

Sekhmet’s eyes widened slightly, but a small smile appeared on her face. “My mother sang that to Ares, Seph, and I also. The movie it’s from was one of our favorites.” 

Hestia gasped excitedly. “Really? It’s one of ours, too!” Sekhmet laughed, and the little redhead’s excitement only grew as she jumped off the couch. “I think we have it somewhere! We can watch it together!” 

* * *

Hades awoke with a start, looking around frantically. He glanced at his alarm clock and let out a few choice words that would have absolutely gotten him in trouble if his dads heard him. He jumped out of bed, but was careful not to wake Ares and Apollo as he threw on a robe before walking out of the room, closing the door behind him. He carefully walked down the stairs, expecting to see Hestia sitting on the couch, holding the picture of her and Serafina in the hospital. 

They had a routine, as sad as it was. 

Hades always tried to wake up as early as possible on Hestia’s birthday, because she always would wake early as well to go downstairs. It had begun after her sixth birthday, and since then, Hades made sure that he was downstairs with her, hugging her as they both tried not to cry. 

It wasn’t a very happy day for them, but Tugger and Mistoffelees were always ready with a cuddle and hug for them. 

Hades walked towards the living room and stopped, his eyes widening ever so slightly. 

Hestia was sitting on the couch, but she wasn’t alone. 

Sekhmet was beside her, hugging her close, the two girls sitting in silence as a movie played on the television in front of them. 

“Morning.” Hades said quietly, stepping forward. Hestia immediately jumped up and ran to him, and he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her as tightly as he could. He looked over her head at Sekhmet, and he gave her a thankful look. She returned it with a small smile. “How are you doing today?” 

“I’m okay.” Hestia replied, her voice muffled as her face was buried in Hades’ chest. “You’re late.” 

Hades couldn’t help but smile slightly. “My alarm didn’t go off.” 

Hestia huffed, and the two walked back to the couch, where Sekhmet was sitting and watching them. Hades sat down, and Hestia curled up between the two, her head resting on Hades’ shoulder as her hand gripped Sekhmet’s. Hades hugged her close, but reached his arm over Hestia’s shoulders to touch Sekhmet’s, and she gave him a look of surprise. 

“Sek, Ares, and Seph also watched the movie with their mommy!” Hestia said quietly, and Hades looked at his little sister with surprise in his eyes. 

“Really? Is that what you two have been doing all morning?” He asked. Hestia nodded, snuggling closer to him happily, and Hades looked back at Sekhmet, lowering his voice. “Thank you.” 

Sekhmet flushed slightly. “You don’t have to thank me.” 

Hades shook his head. “I think this is the first time I haven’t come down here and seen her crying. Thank you, Sek.” 

“You’re welcome, Hads.” Sekhmet replied, and Hades grinned as the two settled in, Hestia happily sandwiched between them. 

Tugger and Mistoffelees walked down the stairs next, and were pleasantly surprised at the sight they were greeted with. 

Hestia was giggling at the movie that was playing, and Hades and Sekhmet were on either side of her, alternating between watching the movie, laughing at Hestia’s reactions to the so and what was going on, and talking quietly to each other over Hestia’s head. 

It was the happiest Tugger and Mistoffelees had seen Hestia and Hades act on that specific day in a very long time, and that just made their hearts swell with happiness as they walked over to join them. 

Perhaps it would take quite a while for Hestia to completely stop blaming herself, and for her birthday to turn into a celebration of her mother’s life, but for the moment, she was happy, with her big siblings on either side of her, and her mother’s photograph sitting in front of her. 

It was the first birthday in a very long time that Hestia didn’t hate, and for that, she was extremely grateful. 

Sekhmet, Ares, and Persephone were changing the Deuteronomy-Jones family, in the best way possible.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sekhmet and Ares are tired of the ever-present sadness and grief, and Sekhmet is angry, at her mother and at Macavity. Tugger and Mistoffelees are terrified when they wake up in the middle of the night to find the siblings' beds empty, with no sign of where they've gone. They come up with a plan to help the siblings, with the help of Jennyanydots.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was done in collaboration with my amazing friend and one of my biggest writing inspirations, DC_JellicleQueen. The characters of Sekhmet, Ares, Persephone, and Athena, as well as the storyline of this chapter, belong to her! Please go show some love to her stories!
> 
> ******this chapter contains running away, difficulty coping with grief/grieving children, anger towards parents/death, and coming to terms with death. Please read with caution if these are difficult subjects for you.

Even after getting along with the other children in the house, Sekhmet and Ares were still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The soft smiles, the invitations to join games and movie nights, the sleepovers in different bedrooms, everything felt like a front. Nothing negative had happened, but Sekhmet and Ares couldn’t help but feel… out of the loop. 

It wasn’t a secret to them about what had happened to the mother of Hades, the triplets, and Hestia. They saw the picture above the fireplace, and Ares had caught a glimpse of the ring box sitting beside Tugger and Mistoffelees’ bed, collecting dust. 

Sekhmet and Ares tried not to hurt, and they tried not to feel resentful, because they knew that it wasn’t anyone’s fault that Tugger and Mistoffelees had felt something for Serafina, or that Serafina had managed to leave Macavity before any of her children could be hurt by Macavity’s choices, but it was still difficult. 

There were moments when Sekhmet watched Mistoffelees laugh and lift Hestia into his arms, hugging her tightly and kissing her cheek, and she felt left out. 

There were moments when Hades would tackle Apollo to the ground, both boys laughing, and Ares couldn’t help but feel like he was intruding. 

Obviously, Sekhmet and Ares couldn’t blame them. After all, the rest of the family had a routine established, and the trio of siblings were simply stepping into that routine. 

Of course, Tugger and Mistoffelees constantly reassured them that they weren’t overstepping, that they were part of the family and did not have to worry about being left behind or being left out, but Sekhmet and Ares had other thoughts. 

* * *

Finally, one night, Sekhmet and Ares were tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop, so they made a decision. 

After sneaking down to the kitchen to pack things into her backpack, Sekhmet ran back up the stairs as quickly and as quietly as she could, not wanting to wake anyone up. 

“Are you ready?” she whispered, as the door opened up. Ares nodded, fixing Persephone’s jacket before picking her up, glancing around the room a final time. 

“I was actually hoping this would work out.” He said quietly, following Sekhmet out of the room. 

His sister placed a hand on his shoulder as they walked down the stairs quietly. “I know. But we can’t just wait around for them to decide they don’t want to deal with us anymore.” 

Ares nodded slowly, and rubbed Persephone’s back, the little girl already falling back asleep on his shoulder. With one last look around to make sure no one was awake, the three siblings left the house. 

* * *

Mistoffelees jolted awake, his eyes wide as he looked around. Outside, it was still pitch black, and the room was completely dark, except for the dim glow of the digital clock on Tugger’s side of the bed. 

“Misto?” Tugger asked blearily, his eyes still closed as he reached for his husband. 

“It’s okay, Tugs.” Mistoffelees said softly. “I’ll be right back.” 

Tugger rolled over, and Mistoffelees climbed out of bed, walking out of their room towards the rest of the bedrooms. 

Jubilee and Hestia had been sharing a bedroom since Tugger and Mistoffelees adopted her, and it was not uncommon for the two little girls to end up cuddling together in one bed, either because of a nightmare, because of simply falling asleep talking together, or just boredom. Persephone’s bed had been placed in their room, and the littles had been absolutely excited about having another little roommate, and both Mistoffelees and Tugger had heard the girls whispering stories to Persephone when everyone else was asleep. 

Thetis and Iris shared a bedroom, and had eagerly invited Sekhmet into their room when she arrived. Seeing as how it was the room closest to Jubilee and Hestia’s, and as that would mean that Sekhmet would be close enough to Persephone to be able to help her if anything happened, it had been a no-brainer. 

Hades, Apollo, and Ares, being outnumbered by the girls by quite a few, shared a room as well, which Apollo had nearly dragged Ares to when they first arrived, absolutely excited to have a brother his age around. Hades enjoyed being able to share a room with his younger brother, and Tugger had heard them very often laughing over a video, or Hades telling the two younger boys a story from the multitude of books kept around the house. 

Mistoffelees approached Jubilee and Hestia’s bedroom first, smiling slightly when he saw the two girls curled up on Hestia’s bed together. He wasn’t surprised at all, and simply went into the room to pull the blanket up around them, kissing their foreheads. He then turned towards Persephone’s bed to tuck her in as well, but his heart dropped when he realized that she wasn’t there. 

He ran out of the littles’ room, racing towards Thetis and Iris’ bedroom, and panic filled him when he realized that Sekhmet was gone as well. 

“Oh God, no.” he whispered, going towards the boys’ room. Hades and Apollo were sleeping soundly, but Ares’ bed was completely empty. “TUGGER!” Hades jolted up, and he looked around. 

“Where’s Ares?” he asked. 

Mistoffelees ran back towards his bedroom and shook Tugger’s shoulder. “Tugger, they’re gone!” 

“What? Who’s gone?” Tugger was still half-asleep, and he grabbed for Mistoffelees. “Come back to bed, you’re dreaming.” 

Mistoffelees huffed angrily and picked up the water bottle beside Tugger’s side of the bed, dumping it out onto Tugger’s head, forcing him awake. 

“They’re gone, Tugger! Sekhmet, Ares, and Persephone are gone!” he exclaimed, and Tugger pushed his wet hair out of his face, staring at Mistoffelees. “They aren’t in the house, and their things are missing!” 

Tugger shot up and automatically reached for his phone. “I’ll call Munk. Ask Hades if he heard anything.” Mistoffelees nodded, trying to ignore the building panic. 

_“Tugs, what the hell? It’s the middle of the night, and Dem has a shift tomorrow.”_

“Sekhmet, Ares, and Persephone are gone. Their stuff is gone, and we don’t know where they are.” 

Munkustrap instantly sounded more awake, and Tugger heard shifting on the other end of the line. _“Alright, I’ll text Alonzo, and Dem will text Bombs. We’ll find them, Tugs.”_

Tugger tucked the phone into his pocket and ran out of the room, skidding to a stop when he saw Hestia and Jubilee standing together outside their room. 

“What’s going on, Daddy?” Hestia asked. 

“We’re just looking for Sek, Ares, and Seph, princess.” Tugger said, putting a smile on his face as he knelt down in front of them. “It’s okay.” 

Hades appeared beside Tugger. “Why don’t you go with Thetis and Iris? I think they’re putting together a fort.” The two girls nodded and ran off towards the other girls, and Hades looked at Tugger. “I didn’t hear them leave, Dad. I should have been listening!” 

Tugger pulled him into a hug. “Don’t blame yourself, Roo. We all should have paid attention. Just… go sit with the others, and I’ll let you know if we find anything.” Hades nodded, and followed Hestia and Jubilee. Tugger ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily, making his way down the stairs to wait for news. 

* * *

An hour went by with no sign of any of the kids, and Tugger was sitting in the living room with Bombalurina while Mistoffelees checked on the other kids. There was a knock at the door, and Tugger shot to his feet to answer it. 

When he opened the door, he deflated slightly when he just saw Browrey standing there. 

“Hey.” He said tiredly. 

Browrey gave him a sympathetic look. “Mistoffelees called me. Sor and Prim are out looking for them around the bar.” 

Tugger smiled at her thankfully. “Thanks. Do you want to come in?” Browrey nodded, and Tugger stepped back, closing the door behind her. “Misto, Browrey’s here!” 

Mistoffelees walked back down the stairs, and Browrey approached him, giving him a brief hug. “You didn’t have to come over.” 

“Nah, I wanted to. Besides, we were just closing the bar.” She replied with a shrug, and Mistoffelees wiped at his eyes, which were red and puffy. 

“Who’s this?” Bombalurina asked, poking her head out of the living room. 

Tugger nudged her. “This is Browrey. She owns the bar that the kids ran off too last time. Browrey, this is Bombalurina, Munkustrap’s sister-in-law and one of our best friends.” 

Browrey eyed Bombalurina, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Nice to meet you.” 

“Nice to meet you too, shrimp.” Bombalurina said with a little grin, making Browrey narrow her eyes as Tugger let out a small laugh. 

Mistoffelees couldn’t help but smile just a bit, and he leaned against Tugger as he wrapped an arm around his shoulders. 

“The kids are all asleep.” He told him quietly. “Hades woke up when I checked on them, but he’s pretty much asleep now.” 

Another hour went by with no sign of the trio, and both Mistoffelees and Tugger were prepared to call the police and file a missing child report. Demeter was now sitting with them in the living room as Browrey and Bombalurina chatted (it was more like playful bickering, and both Mistoffelees and Tugger knew that it was the beginning of _something_ ), and Munkustrap was out with Alonzo checking a few last spots in the neighborhood. 

There was another knock at the door, and Mistoffelees jumped to his feet, running to the door and wrenching it open. 

He nearly collapsed with relief at the sight of Alonzo and Munkustrap standing at the door, Munkustrap holding a sleeping Persephone in his arms with Sekhmet and Ares behind them. 

“I think you guys lost a few things.” Alonzo said with a small smile, his hands on Sekhmet and Ares’ shoulders. Mistoffelees nearly started crying, and Tugger took Persephone from Munkustrap, hugging her close. 

“How’d you find them, ‘Lonz?” he asked. 

“I found them at the bus stop on my way back here and called Straps.” Alonzo explained. “They were trying to read the map and find out how to get somewhere a few towns over.” 

Mistoffelees took a shaky breath. “Thank you, ‘Lonz. Both of you, thank you.” 

“We’ll let you all settle back in.” Demeter said softly, walking past Mistoffelees and Tugger and touching their shoulders. She gave Sekhmet and Ares a calm smile, Bombalurina and Browrey following her out. 

Tugger watched as their friends left the house, and he looked at Sekhmet and Ares with a warm smile. “Come on, kids.” 

Sekhmet glared off to the side, her arms crossed, and Ares was looking down, rubbing his arm. Tugger handed Persephone to Mistoffelees, who kissed the sleeping little girl’s head. “It’s late. You all need to sleep.” Mistoffelees said gently. 

Tugger reached out to take Sekhmet’s hand, and she shoved it away from him, tears falling down her cheeks as she ran past him, up the stairs, and into the spare bedroom, slamming the door shut and locking it. 

“I’m sorry.” Ares whispered, and Tugger simply shook his head. 

“Don’t apologize, kiddo. Just go get some sleep, and we’ll talk in the morning.” He told him, and Ares nodded, slowly walking up the stairs. 

Mistoffelees hugged Persephone tightly, and Tugger wrapped a tight arm around him. “Let’s get to bed.” 

* * *

The next day, Sekhmet was still in the bedroom, refusing to come out and talk. Ares was quiet, keeping mostly to himself despite Apollo trying to pull him into activities and games. Jenny came over to visit, and Tugger sat with her in the kitchen. 

“God, I don’t know what to do, Jenny.” He said. “I… I want to do whatever I can to help them, but I just don’t know how.” 

Jenny smiled, reaching out and touching Tugger’s hand. “Sweetheart, you might be a bit too young to remember, but Thena used to be the same way.” As they talked, neither heard or noticed the footsteps on the stairs, or Sekhmet stopping at the entrance to the kitchen to listen. “She loved her independence, and once she set her mind to something, nothing could change her mind.” 

Tugger laughed slightly. “Yeah. I think I remember her hiding in Skimble’s car a few times to skip school and go with him.” Jenny laughed along with Tugger, shaking her head fondly. "Dad used to tell me that Skimble would sometimes make it all the way to the station before he'd realize she was in the car." 

“She was quiet the troublemaker.” Jenny agreed. 

Sekhmet listened with wide eyes, slowly sliding down the wall to sit on the ground, pulling her knees up to her chest. 

“So… what do I do?” Tugger asked, helpless and his eyes pleading for Jenny’s help. “Misto and I love all three of them so much, and the kids adore them, but I don’t know what to do.” 

Jenny sighed. “She’s still mourning the loss of her mother, dear, and she’s still dealing with the pain of being abandoned by her father.” Sekhmet rested her chin on her legs, trying to hold back her tears. She did still feel the pain of her father so easily giving her and her siblings up, and that coupled with the pain of her mother’s death made everything just explode, and Sekhmet knew that. 

Tugger nodded. “I’m scared I’m going to say something wrong, since I don’t know what she’s feeling.” 

“Surely you of all people know how it feels to be abandoned, my dear.” Jenny said, making Tugger flinch, and making Sekhmet frown. _What was Jenny talking about?_ “Don’t you remember all the bad choices you made?” 

“I guess bad decisions run in the family.” Tugger said with a self-deprecating laugh. “Mac and I just have a knack for that.” 

Jenny shook her head. “Don’t talk like that, Tugger. You’ve changed, and you’re a wonderful man and an amazing father. Don’t sell yourself short.” 

Tugger smiled slightly, and he nodded. “She just seems so angry and hurt, Jenny. I’m not sure how to help her.” 

“I have an idea that may help.” Jenny hummed quietly, and Sekhmet stood, walking away from the kitchen to go back up the stairs to think. “Take her to Thena’s grave, let her get some of those feelings out. I remember a certain someone who did the same thing after Sera passed away.” 

Tugger thought for a moment before nodding. 

* * *

The next day, Tugger approached the trio in the spare bedroom, leaning against the doorway. 

“Come on.” He said. 

“Where are we going?” Ares asked curiously. 

Tugger held out his hand. “An adventure. You’ll like it, I promise.” Sekhmet slowly stood, and the trio followed Tugger down the stairs and out the door, where he walked to the car and opened the door. Sekhmet and Ares both climbed in, and Tugger lifted Persephone into the car seat, making sure to buckle her in. 

Sekhmet kept her eyes out the window as Tugger drove, and she began to frown as she realized that they were driving towards a cemetery. 

Ares looked between Sekhmet and Tugger with confusion. “Where are we?” 

“You three never got to talk to your mom before she died.” Tugger said softly, pulling over and turning the car off. “After Serafina died, Misto and I took the kids to her grave so they could say one last goodbye, because they hadn’t gotten to. No one expected Sera to die after Hestia was born, and being able to say goodbye to her in some way really helped the others.” Sekhmet looked away from the window at Tugger, suspicion and hesitance in her eyes. Tugger gave her a small smile. “This is completely up to you, though. If you're not ready, we can wait as long as you need. Are you comfortable with this?” 

Ares and Sekhmet looked at each other, and Ares slowly nodded. 

“We are.” Sekhmet said in a small voice. 

Tugger’s smile widened and he got out of the car as Sekhmet opened the door and jumped out. He lifted Persephone out of the car and put her on his shoulders, waiting for Ares to get out of the car before locking it. 

“Follow me.” He said softly, leading the other two down the path. Sekhmet and Ares followed behind him, and froze as they approached one spot, staring at the words written on the stone in front of them. 

__

_Athena Sullivan  
Beloved Daughter and Mother  
“Goodbye may seem forever, farewell is like the end. But in our hearts is a memory and there you’ll always be.”_

Tugger stepped back and put Persephone down on the ground, allowing for the three siblings to have time to themselves. A few feet away from Athena’s spot was a very familiar stone, one that Tugger visited frequently, so he walked over there and sat down, leaning against it as he watched the trio of siblings. 

“What do you think, Sera?” he asked softly, looking at the stone with a small smile. 

__

_Serafina O’Reilly  
Beloved Mother and Friend  
“May the road rise up and meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, until we meet again.”_

Tugger carefully adjusted the small stone leaning against the larger one. It was something he and Mistoffelees had put together a few months after Serafina had passed away, and it held each of the five kids’ handprints. It had been there since the day Serafina had been buried, and both Tugger and Mistoffelees made sure to always keep it clean. 

Tugger looked back towards Sekhmet, Ares, and Persephone, already beginning to think of doing something similar for them. 

Sekhmet stared at the stone, unable to look away from the words, and she felt something begin to build up in her. Ares knelt down and pulled Persephone close, talking softly to her, but Sekhmet heard nothing, continuing to stare at the stone until tears began to fall down her cheeks and a sob escaped her. 

“WHY?!” she cried, wrapping her arms around herself as she fell to her knees. “Why did you have to die? Why did you leave us with him?” Ares’ head whipped around to look at her, and Sekhmet hit the ground with her fists, sobbing. “You did nothing! You just left, and we couldn’t see you, and you didn’t make him bring us! We didn’t even get to say goodbye to you!” Sekhmet looked up at the stone with pain in her eyes. “I miss you so much, and we had to grow up so quickly because he was hurting too! And now I’m scared that we’ll be left behind again because no one’s going to want us.” Ares stepped away from Persephone and reached out towards Sekhmet, taking her hand. She squeezed his hand tightly, shutting her eyes as she silently cried. 

“She loved us, Sek.” Ares said softly. “You know that.” Sekhmet let out a small sob and nodded. Ares wrapped her in a hug, pressing his head against hers. “She’s still our mom, Sek, no matter what. Nothing changes that.” 

“I know.” Sekhmet whispered. “But aren’t you ever scared you’re going to forget her?” 

Ares nodded. “Yeah, I am. But then I remember that I’ve got you and Seph, and now, we’ve actually got Mother’s family. We can learn things about her that Father never told us, things that we never knew about her.” Sekhmet looked at him with a little smile, returning his hug tightly. “We’re going to be okay, Sek.” 

* * *

Mistoffelees watched from the kitchen window as the van pulled into the driveway. He put down the bowl that was in his hands, and waited with baited breath as the door of the van was opened. Ares jumped out first, his eyes sparkling with something that made Mistoffelees’ heart soar. Tugger followed him, lifting Persephone out of her car seat and peppering kisses all over her face and making her squeal and giggle. Sekhmet hopped out of the car after Persephone, and Tugger ruffled her hair fondly, making her smile at him slightly. 

Mistoffelees nearly began to cry with relief at seeing her smile. Her eyes were red, and her face obviously showed that she had been crying for quite a while, but the fact that she was leaning against Tugger as they approached the house, and the fact that she was smiling as he talked to her showed huge improvement. 

“Hey Papa!” Ares said as he ran into the house. 

Mistoffelees stilled, but a smile spread across his face. “Hey, kiddo.” Tugger approached him, and he took Persephone, the little girl immediately wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his shoulder. “How did it go?” 

“Watch.” Tugger said softly, pulling Mistoffelees towards the living room as Sekhmet and Ares entered. 

The rest of the siblings were there, all laughing and talking loudly, and Ares slowly sat down beside Apollo and Thetis, watching them play a video game. It wasn’t long before he began to laugh with them, goading each of them on and yelping when Thetis smacked his shoulder playfully. 

Sekhmet sat down next to Hades on the couch, the other boy immediately nudging her with his shoulder and giving her a smile. 

“Sek, will you help me?” Iris asked, walking up to Sekhmet with a brush and a pout. “I’m trying to get this braid right, but it’s not working.” 

Sekhmet’s eyes widened in surprise, and she looked at Hades, who nodded to her encouragingly. 

“Sure, Iris.” She said softly, patting the ottoman in front of her. “Sit here.” 

Iris eagerly sat, and handed Sekhmet the brush, beginning to chatter on about something that had happened at school as Sekhmet carefully began to brush her hair. Hestia and Jubilee raced over, climbing over Hades and watching eagerly as Sekhmet began to braid. Hades tickled Jubilee’s side and pulled Hestia into his lap, copying the braid that Sekhmet was putting into Iris’ hair. 

“I wish I could do braids like that.” Jubilee said, mournfully tugging on her own short hair. 

Sekhmet looked at Jubilee, and her smile widened slightly. “I know lots of braids for short hair, Jojo. My mom taught them to me.” 

Jubilee’s eyes brightened. “Could you do my hair after Iris?” Sekhmet nodded, and Jubilee beamed, cuddling up close to Sekhmet’s side to watch, happily waiting her turn. 

Mistoffelees had to blink back tears at the sight, and Tugger kissed the side of his head, pulling him close. 

“I think it went well.” Tugger said softly. “We’ve still got a lot to learn about them, just like we did with the others, but we’ll get there eventually.” 

Mistoffelees nodded. “Looks like we’re already starting to get there.” 

“Dad! Ares grabbed the controller and made me lose!” Apollo cried. 

Thetis rolled her eyes. “No, he didn’t! You’re just upset that you lost to me.” 

Ares nodded sagely. “She’s right, Lo. Now scoot over and let the master show you how it’s done.” 

Apollo continued to protest loudly, but handed Ares the controller and hung over his shoulder to watch, the trio bickering playfully. 

Tugger and Mistoffelees just smiled and shook their heads fondly, relishing the noise and laughter in the room. 

Their family was far from perfect, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****the character of Browrey belongs to another one of my amazing and wonderful friends, and one of my biggest writing role models, KineticJellyfish

**Author's Note:**

> just a fair warning, these next few shorts are going to be a bit on the more emotional side as Sekhmet, Ares, and Persephone settle in, as they deal with subject matter that is very close to me. I'll make sure to put proper warnings in the beginning notes, just to make sure that everyone has proper preparation in case they do not want to read the specific short I've posted.
> 
> As always, I have to thank my amazing and wonderful friends and collaborators, KineticJellyfish (creator of the amazing Browrey, Sorrel, and Primrose), DC_JellicleQueen (creator of the amazing Sekhmet, Ares, Persephone, and Athena), Jemi (whose amazingOCs will be coming very soon!!), and @queencurlycrown (creator of the amazing Jubilee) on tumblr for their constant support, and contributions to this AU! <3


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